Engine



Filed March 15, 1927 ,2 Shets-Sheet 1 Jan. 22, 1929.

- 1,700,077 5. G. ROBERTS ENGINE Filed Mrch 15, 1 927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Jan. 22,.

UNITED 1 STATES SIDIi'EY GO'ITSEELIG ROBERTS, OI GHATT ANOOGA,

i,7oo,o11 PATENT OFFICE.

Application fled larch 15, 1927. Serial No. 175,884.

l atums of the invention to provide a novel form of means for receivingthe initial fuel charge,- converting the same into an expansible gas andthen introducing said gas into engagement, with the engine rotor for im-18 parting rotary motion thereto and thereby,

developing the desired power.

Other objects of the invention will be in part obvious and in partpointed out hereinafter.

In order that the invention. and its mode of operation may be readilyunderstood by those skilled in the art, I have in the following detaileddescription and in the illustrative drawings based thereupon, set out 95one possible embodiment of my invention.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a. vertical section through the improved apparatus showingthe piston of the charge forming and delivering device in one position,

i Figure 2 is asimilar view wherein the piston of the charge forming anddelivering device is in its uppermost position whereat the springreturning means therefor is compressed,

- Figure 3 is a horizontal sectlon taken on the line 33 of Figure 2looking in the; di-

rection in which are arrows point,

- Figure 4 is a fragmentary horizontal secton taken on the line 4-4 ofFigure 1,

Figure 5 is an 'enlargedfragmentary de tail in section showing theconstruction of the valve means employed for controlling communicationbetween the com ressed. air

i 5 chamber and the combustible fue supplying chamber, and I Figure 6 isa top plan view of the apparatus.

Having more particular reference to the drawings, in connection withwhich like characters of reference will designate corresponding partsthroughout, the improved Y apparatus may be stated to comprise a rotorcasing or housing generally indicatedby the numeral 1, said casing beingprovided with a suitable supporting base 2, while a water receiving andcircula jacket 3 is arranged there'about and as w1ll be understood, isadapted to receive and to circulate therethrough water or some othersuitable cooling medium. A'reversible rotary inlet valve 4-is positionedin suitable bearings adjacent the upper and intake end of the rotorcasing 1 while. an exhaust port or opening communicates with theway 5 atthe lower portion of said casing; the inlet valve 4, obviously servingto permit of the proper introduction of a motive charge mto engage- Asecond casing generally indicated by the numeral 8 is received upon andsup-. ported by the upper end of the rotor casing .1, as is shown in theFigures 1 and 2 and is fixedly connected to said upper end of the rotorcasing through the mediumof con- 'necting bolts 9 passed throughappropriately flanged portions of the lower end of said ment with therotor 6 mounted within said casing 1 upon a suitable shaft 7.

second casing 8; this casing being also formed with a cooling mediumreceiving and circulating jacket 10 while a plurality of chambers 11 and12 are provided therein and arranged in relatively vertical parallelrelation.

That the upper end of the second casing 8 may be effectually closed, ahead 13 is provided the same and, as will be understood, this head isadapted to be securely connected to said upper end of the casing 8-throu h the medium of bolts or other suit able fastening devices, notshown herein.

Communication is effected, at times, be-

tween the chambers 11 and 12 to ways or ports 14 and 15, the ports 14being formed. in one portion of the the Figures v1 and 2 while the port15 is formed in that partition or wall separating the chambers 11 and12, adjacent their ead 13 asis shown in respective bottoms. Also theconduit or manifold 16 is provided the. outer open end of theport 14 andis adapted to be fixedly connectedthereto, said manifold having a sprin'actuated check valve 17 normall seate therein whereby to prevent the bacflow of air or other motive fluid therethrough; a similar check valve 18being mounted within the head 13 adjacent the point of communicationbetween the port 14 and the chamber 12 whereb the flow of Y compressedair from the chem r 11 under urge of the piston workingtherein '(hetein-11 p sides of these slots having after more fully described) will bepermitted to discharge into the chamber 12 but will be prevented frompassing therefrom at this particular point of communication.

A piston 19 is mounted for rectilinear movement within the chamber 11and carries upon its upper side a longitudinally disposed hollow pistonrod 20, said rod passin the reduced and screw threaded upper end' of'thehollow piston rod 20, for a purpose which will be hereinafter more fullydescribed. Fixedl mounted upon the outer and upper si e of the casing13'are a plurality o vertically disposed relatively (parallel standards25 having longitudinally isposed slots formed therein for the greaterportions of their respective lengths and the. inner gear teeth 26 formedthereupon throughout their respective len tbs, as is shown in theFigures 1 and 2; t e lower rtidns of these standards being formed witfeet which turn receive connectin or securing bolts 27 herethrough inorder ards 25 upon the casing 13 will be efieeted. Another standard 28is mounted upon the upper side and. oppositeend rtion of the casing head13, being secure to said head through the medium of a connecting bolt 29passing through a laterally offset foot thereon into engagement with anadjacent portion of said head 13; the up er end portion of this standard28 be' i ormed with an ofiset and substantially rlght angularly formedextension 30 having a bell crank lever 31 mounted uponits free end. 7

A table or plate 32 is fixedly carried upon the upper extremities of thestandards 25' and 28 and is formed with an intermediately arrangedopening while upon the under side of the same, a circular rib 33 isformed, for

a purpose which will be presently described.

Interposed between the disk like element 22 and the plate 32 is a coiledspring 34,

the lower convolution of said spring being engaged with a ring likeretaining device ormed upon the upper side of the ele- "ment 22"wh1lethe ggpper convolution 'of said spring is en'ga with the ring likedevice 33 upon the plate 32. Through the arrangement of this spring 34between the at a fixed mounting of the stsinda su plate 32 and the disklike element 32 carried upon the upper end of the hollow piston rod '20,it will be understood that a normally downwardly directed pressure willbe transmitted to said rod 20 and its piston 19 thus, tending to urgethe same to its lowermost position within the chamber 11, aforesaid.

With a View toward providing a iston 19 3 with means for raising thesame in t e cham r ber 11 as when starting the engine, a shaft 35carrying pinions on the opposite end portions thereof as indicated bynumeralff36,,

is arranged within and transversely of the slots or ways of the uprights25; the inions 36 meshing with the gear teeth 26 an being ada ted'to berotated thereover through the me ium of a crank handle 37 secured to oneend of the shaft 35, while another handle or gripping device 38 isfixedly secured to an adjacent portion of-the shaft 35 whereby tofacilitate the rotation of the crank 37 and the proper steadying of theshaft 35 during such movement. A hooked arm 39 is pivotally carried bythe shaft 35 and this arm is adapted to have enga ement under anadjacent portion of the disk like element 22, in the manner as is shownin Figure 1, whereby with rotary movement of the shaft 35 from the crankhandle 37 in the proper I direction, the pinions 36 will be caused toascend the-vertical racks 26 of the uprights 25 and consequentlythereupon, to draw the said disk-like element 22 upwardly therebycompressing the coiled spring 34, hereinbefore described. 4

That communication as between the cham- "ber- 11 and the "chamberreceiving the rotor 6 may be controlled at predetermined times,

stantially frusto-conical valve 40 is adapted to be seated upon'a valveseat 40 formed in the bottom of the casing 8, as is shown in'the Figure2, whereas said valve is provided with an elongated stem 41 adapted tobe extended lon 'tudinally through an opening formed in t e concentricportlon of the piston 19 and through the rod 20 thereof to a tpositionabove it and through an opening ormed. in th plate 32. A coil spring 42is arranged afiout the upper portion of the valve stem 41, havingbearing upon 'an abutment or similar'stop 43 secured to the stem whilethe upper portion of saidsprin has bearing upon an adjacent part of. theplate 32, hence, imparting a normally downwardly directed pressure tothe valve stem 41 and consequently, serving to retain the valve 40 uponits seat 40' in the bottom of the-chamber 11. Also, the upper extremityof the stem 41 is screw threaded and receives thereupon an adjusting nut44, said adjusting nut being arranged above the plate32. A stop collar45' is adjustably connected to the upper portion of the valve stem 41through the medium of a set screw 46 and is adapted, at times, to beengaged end of such trigger or bolt being adapted to be engaged underthe adjusting nut 44, at times, while the outer or remaining end of saidbolt is provided "with an angularly' disosed finger 47 adapted to beengaged by the lice or lower leg portion of the'bellcrank lever 31,hereinbefore described, whereby with locking of said lever 31 in onedirection, the bolt 45 willbe slid in an outwardly direction from thestem 41 and the adjusting 'nut 44 thereupon; the said bolt 45 beingadapted to be normally returned to its inner position whereat it willengage under the adjusting nut 45, through the medium of a contractilecoiled spring 48 having one end anchored toa portion of the late 32 andits opposite end connected to sai bolt 45. Thus,

"it will be understood that with raising of the valve stem 41 andopening of the valve 40, the springtensioned slidable bolt 45"willimmediately engage under the adjusting nut 44 and hence, -will preventreturn-vertical movement of the valve -stem 41 and the valve to closedposition. However, when rocking movement, in the proper direction, isimparted to the bell crank lever 31, the free leg portion of said leverwill swing in a direction to permit slidin movement of the bolt 45 underurge of tie contractile coil spring 48 to a position under saidadjusting nut 44, hence holding the valve 40 and its stem 41 in openposition.

A control device, serving as means for efiecting the starting andstopping of the improved apparatus is provided in form of asubstantially bell crank lever 49 having a handle portion 50 formed onone extremity thereof while a laterally'slidable bolt or pin 51 isconnected or pivoted to the free leg portion of the lever and isslidably received through a suitable guide way or bracket 52 formed inthe lower portion of the upright- 28, the free end of the pin 52'beingso arranged that it may be engaged under the disk-like element 22,-byrocking such b'ell crank lever 40 upwardly and thus imparting inwardmovement of the stem 51. In this connection, it will be noted that thebell crank lever 49 has pivotal mounting upon a suitable bracket 53,which in turn is fixedly connected to an adjacent, portion of the easinghead 13.

In order that a combustible fuel may be delivered tothecliamber 11 belowthe piston 19, at predetermined periods, there is secured to one sideand lower ortion of the casing 8, a substantiall cylin rical casin orhousing 54, throug the medium 0 passed through appropriately flangedportions of said casing and into fixed engagement with the adjacentportions of the side wall of the casing 8, as is shown in the Figures 1and 2; The inner portion of this casing 54 is formed with a lateralenlargement 56 and engaged therein is one element of an electricalcircuit make and break device 57 Also, a fuel inlet pipe or manifold 58is connected to and communicates with the interior of the casing 54,having a check valve bolts v 59 interposed therein whereby to preventany back flow .of fuel from the chamber of nected to said piston, saidstem, in turn, car- 1 rying a valve 63 thereonf A coil spring 64 61 isarranged about the hollow piston ro having one end thereof engaging theadjacent slde of the piston 60 while the opposite end thereof hasbearing upon an adjacent portion of the wall of the casing 8. Thus, itwill be understood that a normally outward thrust will be imparted tothe piston 60 and consequently thereupon, that said piston will benormally held adjacent to the head of the cylinder chamber. A secondmakeand break circuit closing element '65 is fixedly connected to oneportion of the piston 60 and is adapted, at times, to be engaged withthe element 57, hereinbefore described, also, the end .of thecylindrical casing 54 is provided with a movable head, preferably inform of a piston like element 66 slidably arranged in the outer end ofthe chamber of said cylinder and secured to a screw threaded rod 67passing through an internally screw'threaded opening in the outer endwall of said casing 54 whereat it is provided with a suitable form ofhandle 68. Thus, by rotating the screw threaded rod 67,

the positioning of the head 66 may be varied with res ect to the piston60.

That t e stem 62 of the valve 63 may have v a pulling movement impartedthereto, whereby the plston 60 may be moved in a direction to effect anintaking of fuel into the chamber of the cylindrical casing 54 and thatthe valve 63 may be moved from its seat 69 formed in the lower portionof the wall separating the chambers 11 and 12, a lever 70 is provided,said lever being pivotally connected as at 71 to the outer end of thevalve stem, while one end thereof is formed with a bearing device 72 andthe opposite end theredinal passage way through the stem or extension62, hence, controlling the communication of said way with the interiorof the chamber 11.

A spark plug or other suitable ignition means indicated by the numeral75 is adapted to be engaged in the lower portion of' the chamber 11,whereby, with the introduction of a properly carbureted and compressedfuel into. said chamber, the same may be exploded at a predeterminedtime for imparting a working impulse to the piston 19.

That overloading or stressing of the case ing 8 by.an excessive pressurewithin the chamber 11 may be avoided, a safety valve or similar device 76 is engaged with one portion of the casing 8 and has communication withsaid chamber 11.. r

In operation of my improved apparatus,

the disk like element 22 is engaged by the hooked pivotal arm 39whereupon the crank handle 37 is rotated to effect ascension of thepinions 36 with-respect to the rack bars 26 of the uprights 25. As thedisk-like ele ment 22 passes the inner end of the bolt or slidable pin'51, the handle 50 thereof is moved in a direction to cause the innerextremity of said pin to be arranged in the normal path of downwardmovement of said element 22. Rotation of the pinions 36 is continued,thereby raising the disk like element 22 together with the piston rod 20and the piston 19 and simultaneously, compressing the coiled spring 34.Rotation of these pinions is continued until the piston 19 and the disklike element 22 assumes those positions as shown in the Figure 2,

. with the exception that said disk-like element is not raisedsufliciently to effect contact as between the stufiing gland 24 therebycarried and the adjustable stop collar During upward movement of thepiston 19 in its chamberll, it will be understood'that' air within theupper portion of said chamber 11 would be compressed and will bedischarged by way of the passage 14 in the casing head 13 by the springpressed check, valve '18 into the compressed air storage chamber 12.With the piston thus raised to a position in proximity to the top" ofthe chamber 11, the crank handle 37 is nowpermitted to rotate in anopposite direction under urge of the compressed spring 34, which, aswill be understood, directs a downward stress onto the disk-like element22 and the piston 19 together with the piston; rod 20;

Said disk-likeelement will descend until it engages with the-inner endv03f the slidable pin 51, at which time, it will be understood that thepiston 19 within the chamber 11 is immediately above but in contact withthe bearing device 72 of the fulcruming lever 70. To .start theapparatus, the'pin 51 is disengaged from the under side of the disklikeelement 22 by rocking the handle downwardly. At this time, the stillcompressed coiled spring 34 will impart a stop or abrupt downwardmovement to the piston 19 within its chamber 11, causing its piston toengage with the bearing end or device 7 2 of the fulcruming lever 70,whereby said lever will function to impart a pull to the valve 63, thestem 62 and the piston 60. Movement of this piston under this influencewill draw a charge of combustible fuel into the base or chamberbetweensaid piston 60 and the adjustable head 66, while at the same time,inasmuch as the valve 63 is removed from its seat 69, compressed airstored within the chamber 12 will be permitted to rush into the lowerportion of the chamber 11 and to engage the lower side of the piston 19,thus forcing the same upwardly for a slight distance, this verticalmovement of the piston 19 being suflicient to effect its disengagementfrom the bearing end of the fulcruming lever 70, whereupon the valve 63and the piston 60 will abruptly return to their normal ositions underinfluence of the expansib e coiled spring 64. With abrupt outwardmovement of the piston 60 in the chamber of the casing 54, the charge ofcombustible fuel previously in taken thereinto will be forcedthrough-the hollow piston rod and the extension or stem 62 by the checkvalve 7 4 into the lowerportion of the chamber 11 below the piston 19and simultaneously with the discharge of thrust to the piston 19,passing said piston upwardly within the chamber 11 to its uppermostposition whereupon the upper end of the piston rod 20, and especially,the

's'tufiing or packing gland 24 thereof will engage with the stop collar45 secured to the elongated valve stem 41, hence imparting an upwardmovement to said valve stem and removing the valve 40 from its seat 40'.With movement of the valve 40 from its seat 40, it. will be noted thatthe adjusting nut 44 carried upon the upper end of the valve stem 41will be raised above the inner end of, the spring pressed slidable bolt45 so that such bolt under urge of the spring 48 will immediately engagebeneath the same and be forced through the valve seat 40 into engagementwith the peripheral vaned surface of the rotor 6 mounted within therotor i i casing, thus imparting rotary motion thereto. As the disk-likeelement 22 descends with the piston 19 and its rod 20, a portion of saidelement 22 will engage with an ad- ;ustable abutment 77 carried upon atrp rod;

8, the upper or free end of which 'is pivotaally connected to theadjacent end of the bellcrank lever 31, thereby rocking said bell cranklever in a direction to cause retraction ofthe slidable bolt 45 from theadjustingnut 44 upon the upper end of the valve stem 41 andconsequently, permitting said valve stem together with the valve 40 tobe immediately returned to closed position under influence of thecompressed coiled spring 42, whereupon the cycle of operation isrepeated.

Obviously, should it. be desired to stop the apparatus, the handle isrocked in a direction to cause the slidable bolt 51 to be movable to aposition to engage with a portion of the under side'of the disk likeelement 22 as the same. descends. At the time of such engagement, itwill be understood that the piston 19,while being in immediate proximityto the bearing device 72 of the fulcruming lever will not be in contacttherewith and hence, will. be prevented from rocking said lever andcausing movement to be imparted to the valve 63, the stem 62, and thepiston 60,- thus interrupting the supply of compressed air to thechamber 11 from the chamber 12 and also,

a the supply of combustible fuel from the cy lindrical casing 54 by wayof said stem 62 into the lower portion of the chamber 11.

Manifestl the construction shown is capable of considerable modificationand such modification as is within the splrit of my claims, I considerwithin the s'cope'of my inventon.

I claim: 4 i

1. A device ofthe character described comprising in combination, a rotorreceiving casing, a second casing above and in longitudinal alignmentwith the fir st casing having a pair of juxtaposed coincldingly disposedcommunicable chambers therein, a piston received in one of saidchambers,

- spring means carried by said second casing and arranged exteriorlythereof engaged with said piston for normally unpartinga downwardlythrust thereto, valve means for controlling communication between saidpiston receiving chamber and the rotor casing, adjustable meansengageable by the rod of said piston for effecting operation of saidvalve means, andv means adjacent the remaining chamber operable by saidpiston for effecting a forced discharge of fuel into the lower portionof the piston receiving chamber.

2. A device of the character described comprising in combination, arotor receiving casing, a second casing above the first casing having apair of juxtaposed relatively parallel and longitudinally disposedcommunicable chambers therein, a piston received in one of saidchambers,-sp'ring means carried without said second casing and havingengagement with the rod of said piston whereby to impart, a startingdownward thrust thereto, valve means for controlling communicationbetween such piston receiving chamber and the rotor casing,- adjustablemeans 'engageable, at times, by the rod of v piston for efi'ectingoperation of said valve means, means adjacent the remaining chamber foreffecting a discharge of a predetermined amount of fuel into the lowerportion of the piston receiving chamber, and valve means cooperable withsaid last mentioned means and operable by said piston immediately priorto the finish of its downward stroke 3. A device of the characterdescribed, comprising in combination, a rotor receiving casing, a secondcasing-supported above the first casing, having a plurality of arelatively parallel juxtaposed and communicable chambers therein, apiston received in one of said chambers, manually operable spring meanscarried on said second casing exteriorly of the same for imparting, astarting downwardly directed thrust to said piston, valve means forautomatically controlling communication between said piston receivingchamber and the rotor casing operable by said piston, means engageablewith said valve means subseq'uentlyto opening of the same by said pistonfor retaining such valve means inopen-position for a predetermined time,and means operable by said piston immediately prior to the finish ofitsdownward stroke for effecting the discharge of a predetermined amount offuel into the lower portion of the piston'receiving chamber. r 7

4. A device of the character described comprising in combination, arotorcasing, a rotor therein, a second casing supported above the firstcasing having a pair of relatively parallel communicable chamberstherein, a pistonreceived in one of said chambers, spring means on thesecond casin exteriorly thereof engaging the rod of sai piston forimparting, at times, a downward said piston within the chamber, manuallyoperable means for limiting the extent of downward movement of saidpiston in its chamber and controlling operation of the device, anotherchamber secured to and communicable with said second casing, a fuelinlet means, communicating with said last mentioned casing, a pistonworking within said last mentioned casing, a valve stem extensioncarried on the outer end of the rod of said last mentioned piston, avalve on said stem for controlling communication between the chamberswithin said second casing, valve means also within said stem forcontrolling communication between the piston receiving chamber and theinterior of said last mentioned casing, charge igniting means in thelower portion of the piston'receivin chamber, electrical circuit makeand brea means operable by movement of the piston within said lastmentioned casing, and means movably connected to'the inner end of saidstem and arranged within the lower portion of the piston receivingchamber adapted to be engaged by said piston wher by to effect movementof the valve carried by said stem and simultaneous movement of thepiston within said last mentioned casing. g In witness whereof I havehereunto set my hand.

SIDNEY GOTTSEELIG ROBERTS.

